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The Kerala Center announces honorees of 33rd Annual Awards Dinner
The individuals being recognized are notable names from diverse fields, known for their service to the society.
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Staff Reporter - Wed, 08, Oct 2025
- 00:16 EDT
- 16
(From left) (Top) Keynote Speaker Dr. Suresh U. Kumar, Awardees Diya Mathew Esq., Inspector Shibu Madhu, Joharath Kutty. (Bottom) Dr. Nandini Menon, Koshy O. Thomas, Dr. Pricilla Samuel and Jayan Varghese. / Handout: The Indian American Kerala Cultural and Civic Center
The Indian American Kerala Cultural and Civic Center, Inc. (The Kerala Center) will honor seven Indian American Malayalees at its 33rd Annual Awards Dinner to be held on October 25, 2025.
The individuals being recognized are notable names from diverse fields, known for their service to the society.
Dr. Thomas Abraham, Kerala Center’s Trustee Board Chairman and Award Committee Member, broke down the selection process and said in a statement, "The Kerala Center has been honoring outstanding achievers since 1992. Every year we invite nominations, and the Award Committee makes a unanimous choice for a candidate in a category to receive the award, and this year is no different from previous years in terms of their achievements."
This year's winners are:
⦁ Inspector Shibu Madhu NYPD- Winning the award in the Govt. and Public Service category, Madhu was promoted to the rank of Inspector in 2024, making him the first Indian American to achieve that rank in the history of NYPD.
⦁ Dr. Priscilla Samuel- Recognized in the Nursing Leadership category, Dr. Samuel is the Vice President of Advanced Practice Nursing at the Mount Sinai Health System. Her work has helped to shape robust clinical practice models that support both quality care and organizational growth.
⦁ Diya A. Mathews, Esq.- Winning in the Legal Service category, Mathews is an attorney, business leader, and community advocate whose career bridges law, entrepreneurship, and service. She is also the incoming President of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) – New Jersey Chapter. Since 2013, she has held leadership roles with the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and serves as a regional representative of the South Asian Bar Association of NJ.
⦁ Koshy O. Thomas- Awarded in the Community Service category, Thomas is a community leader with lifelong commitment to public service. He currently serves as Special Assistant and Community Liaison to New York State Assemblyman Edward Braunstein.
⦁ Dr. Nandini Ambat Menon- Awarded for her leadership in education, she is the Founder and Chief Education Officer of Cedar Hill Preparatory School in Somerset, New Jersey. Under her leadership, Cedar Hill Prep has earned national recognition, including the prestigious National Blue Ribbon Award in 2017.
⦁ Joharath Kutty bagged the recognition in the Engineering category. She is a Senior Director of System Engineering at New York Power Authority (NYPA) with over 20 years of experience in the electric utility industry.
⦁ Jayan Varghese – Winner in the Pravasi Malayalam Literature category, Varghese published his first short story at age 11 and has remained very active as a writer in Malayalam. He is the author of ten books published in various genres of literature, like poetry and drama. He has won numerous literary awards including Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi and Samastha Kerala Sahitya Parishad.
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Dr. Madhu Bhaskaran, Chairman of the Board and Award Committee, highlighted that the goal of the recognition and said, "Kerala Center is very happy to honor American Malayalees who excel in their professions and who work for social progress -- their examples should be an inspiration for others."
The keynote address will be delivered by Dr. Suresh U Kumar, a 5 x INC 500 ranked serial entrepreneur, professor and ex-President of TIE-New Jersey. He also serves in the NJ-India commission and is the author of the bestseller 'The Girl in Scarlet Hijab'.
The awardees will be honored at the Kerala Center in Elmont, New York. The celebration will also feature other socio-cultural entertainments.
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